New Zealand NZeTA Checklist — Passport, Photo & NZ$1,000 Proof (2026)
An NZeTA is New Zealand’s electronic travel authority for visa-waiver travellers — not a visa, and not the same as the visitor visa that travellers who need a visa must apply for. It lasts 2 years, allows up to 3 months per visit (6 months on a British passport), and has a money rule: at least NZD $1,000 a month, or NZD $400 if your accommodation is already paid. Verified against immigration.govt.nz, September 2026.
Stage A — Who needs an NZeTA
- ☐ You hold a passport from a visa-waiver country or territory.
- ☐ You are a Chinese or Forum Island country citizen travelling from Australia with an eligible Australian visa.
- ☐ You are a cruise or cargo ship passenger, or a person transiting New Zealand.
Not the NZeTA route: Australian citizens and permanent residents do not need a visa or an NZeTA; anyone coming for medical treatment needs a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa; and crew must be requested by their employer through Batch ETA, not the NZeTA website or app.
Stage B — How long you can stay
- ☐ Visitor visa on arrival: up to 3 months each visit — up to 6 months if you hold a British passport.
- ☐ NZeTA valid 2 years (5 years for crew).
- ☐ Maximum 6 months in any 12-month period, counted back from the day you plan to leave.
- ☐ Transiting: up to 24 hours when changing flights at Auckland International Airport, staying in the transit area throughout.
Stage C — Money, leaving and documents
- ☐ Funds: at least NZD $1,000 a month, or NZD $400 a month if your accommodation is already paid for.
- ☐ Onward proof: a paid-up departure ticket, or a cruise itinerary or ship owner’s letter, departing within 3 months of arrival (6 months with a British passport).
- ☐ Passport valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure, matching the passport you travel on.
- ☐ One acceptable photo, or a device that can take one.
A sponsor makes you ineligible for an NZeTA — you must apply for a visa instead. Apply separately for each person on the online form; the NZeTA app can do up to 10 people in one go.
Stage D — Arriving
- ☐ Carry your passport, your NZeTA confirmation email and your onward proof.
- ☐ Complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) — by air from 24 hours before your journey starts; by sea from 24 hours before leaving your final overseas port.
- ☐ Be ready to show proof of funds on arrival. Refusing a photo, fingerprints or iris scan, or lacking onward or funds proof, can mean being refused entry.
Not verified on this page
Two things are deliberately left open. The NZeTA application fee is not given on the official page summarised here — check the fee shown on the official site or app. The photo’s technical specification (pixels, file size) is not published on this page either; use the New Zealand passport photo page and the digital file requirements guide rather than guessing.
Get it right the first time
- NZeTA is for visa-waiver travel — if you need a visa, the NZeTA is the wrong form.
- Book the onward ticket before you travel — it is a stated requirement, not a suggestion.
- Count the 12-month window back from your planned departure, not forward from arrival.
- Complete the NZTD in the 24 hours before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an NZeTA?
You need one if you hold a passport from a visa-waiver country, or if you are a Chinese or Forum Island country citizen travelling from Australia with an eligible Australian visa, or if you are a cruise or cargo ship passenger, or transiting.
How long does an NZeTA last, and how long can I stay?
The NZeTA lasts 2 years (5 years for crew). On arrival you get a visitor visa of up to 3 months each visit, or up to 6 months if you hold a British passport. You can stay a maximum of 6 months in any 12-month period.
How much money do I need for an NZeTA visit?
You must have at least NZD $1,000 a month, or NZD $400 a month if you have already paid for your accommodation.
What documents do I need to request an NZeTA?
Your passport and one acceptable photo, or a device that can take one. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure date.
Do I need proof of leaving New Zealand?
Yes. You need a paid-up departure ticket, or a cruise itinerary or ship owner's letter, with departure within 3 months of arrival (6 months for a British passport).
What is the New Zealand Traveller Declaration?
Everyone must complete an NZTD. By air you can submit it from 24 hours before your journey starts; by sea, from 24 hours before you leave your final overseas port.
Official source: immigration.govt.nz — New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), retrieved 2026-09-27. Confidence A (official page, quoted verbatim). The NZeTA fee and the photo’s technical specification are not published on this page and are left open.
Related: if you need a visa instead, see the New Zealand visitor visa checklist. For the photo, use the New Zealand passport photo page and check it with the passport photo checker; if your passport is close to expiry, read the six-month rule guide.